In today’s growing electric bicycle market, e-bikes wear many different hats. Some of them are designed for sport—with electric mountain bikes and road bikes allowing cyclists to go the extra mile or dozen without exerting too much extra effort. On the other end of the spectrum, utility focused cargo bikes focus on convenience, practicality, and efficiency.
Somewhere in the middle, we have bikes like the new e-Coast from Priority Bicycles, a New York-based bike firm with a knack for high-quality, premium two-wheelers both electric and otherwise. You see, unlike a sharp and sporty Trek Domane+ SLR, or a rugged, go-anywhere Douze cargo bike, the e-Coast just wants to take a step back and chill while riding along the laidback coastline with the sea in view. I mean, this is exactly what the e-Coast was designed for, and precisely where beach cruisers feel most at home.
Now, given the bike’s laid back nature, this doesn’t mean it’s a low-tech, bottom-dollar piece of kit. In fact, given the high salt content of areas surrounding the sea, you could even say that bikes of this nature need to be harder-wearing and more resistant to the elements. This is where Priority Bicycles’ deliberate design comes into play. You see, the e-Coast was designed to be as hassle-free as possible, and Priority has made this a priority in three key areas.
For starters, the frame, as well as most of the other hardware, is made out of aluminum. Although the round tubes of the frame give off the look of a classic steel frame, the entire frame was constructed out of aluminum alloy to better withstand corrosion and keep the weight low. Up next, instead of operating a chain and gear drivetrain, the e-Coast gets a carbon belt drive system from none other than Gates. Motorcycle aficionados among you would know that belt-drive systems require far less maintenance than their chain counterparts—plus they’re a lot quieter too.
Last but not least, the e-Coast comes equipped with a pair of hydraulic disc brakes, which, despite detracting from the bike’s vintage look, provide the rider with the stopping power needed to bring the powerful e-bike to a quick stop. Speaking about power, the e-Coast can zip all the way up to 20 miles per hour in Class 2 mode thanks to a 500-watt hub motor. Depending on e-bike rules where you’re from, it can even be programmed as a Class 3 e-bike, with a top speed of 28 miles per hour. Battery-tech wise, we have a 500-watt-hour battery pack that provides enough juice for anywhere between 20 to 60 miles per charge.
As of this writing, the Priority e-Coast is offered at a $200 discount via Priority Bicycles’ official website (linked below). The promo is set to last until February 5, 2023, so if you plan to purchase the e-Coast after that, you’ll need to fork out $1,999—still pretty good value for a bike like this.
